Sign



Dec. 16, 1930. E. 8. ROLL 1,785,145

SIGN

Filed April 2, 1928 mrzvessss gmnnlov W EDWIN 8. ROLL ,7, If a I I Patented Dec. 16, 1930 EDWIN B. ROLL, or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA I SIGN Application filed e ri 2, 1928. Serial No. 266,795.

This invention relates to improvements in signs for-display, advertising, orother purposes and more particularly to that class of signs in which the sign characters, whether they be letters or other characters, may be selectively arranged and the character hearing elements removed and replaced, in different arrangements, from time to time, as

may be desired, and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive sign of this class and one in which the sign characters will be displayed to best advantage.

Another object of the invention is to prol5 vide, in a sign of the class referred to, a founs dation member for the sign character bearing members so constructed as to provide for a very convenientand rapid assembling of the sign character bearing members with the 2% foundation member of the sign in any desired relative order, the arrangement being such that the faces of the sign character hearing members will be flush with the face of the foundation member, so that the sign will possess an integral and permanent appearance and thus be more attractive to the view of the observer than a sign of-the usual type which possesses a mechanical appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign of the class referred to above in which the component parts may all be formed from inexpensive sheet material and all as sembled, without the expenditure of any considerable time or labor, in order to produce the finished sign.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign of the class referred to above which may be displayed to advantage indaylight hours and the face of which will pre sent a neat and attractive appearance, and which sign may likewise be displayed to great advantage in hours of darkness by mere disposal of the sign in front of a convenient source of illumination. 7

While the accompanying drawing and the description which is to follow, constitute a disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various 1 changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of one form of sign embodying the invention, a portion of one of the members of the sign being broken away to better illustrate the interior structure of the sign;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the line 22 ofFig ure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one ply or section of the foundation member of the sign;

Fi ure 4 is a similar view of the other member; p Figure 5 is a perspective View of one of the sign-character bearing members of the si n. The figures of the accompanying drawing illustrate one of the simplest forms of the invention and as disclosed in these figures, the sign consists essentially of a foundation memher which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and preferably comprises two facially assembled and united plies indicated one by the numeral Qandthe other by the numeral These plies maybe of cardboard, heavy paper, or any other sheetmaterial found suitable for the purpose depending upon the character of the sign to be produced .and the size of the sign and the conditions under which it is to be used. It will be evident by reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and l of the drawing that the plies 2 and 30f the foundation member of the sign are, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, of ob long rectangular form and that the two plies are of the same marginal contourand dimensions so that when the plies are placed face toface their margins will be in registration. The ply 2, in the embodiment shown, is formed with a longitudinal series of rectangular openings at and the ply 3 is formed with a similanseries of openings 5 except that the openingsl in the ply 2 are of slightly smaller dimensions than the openings 5 in the ply 3. At this point it will be observed that the plies 2 and 3 are assembled in mar ginal registration and they are facially united to each other by the application of adhesive to their contacting'faces. It will be observed at this point and particularly by reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing that due to the difference in dimensions of the openings 4 and 5, the portion of the ply 2 which surrounds each of the openings 4 projects within the bounds of the respective opening 5 so that a marginal shoulder 6 is provided which serves a purpose to be pres ently explained.

The sign character bearing members are preferably of the form illustrated clearly in Figure of the drawing and each comprises a rectangular card or small sheet of paper, celluloid, or any other material found suitable for the purpose, which is indicated in the drawing by the numeral 7, the same being of the same rectangular contour and same dimensions as the openings 5 in the ply 3 of the foundation. By reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing it will be observed that the sign character bearing members 7 are adapted to be selectively assembled with the foundation structure 1 by being disposed within the openings 5 with their margins resting against the shoulders 6, and, in practice, the members 7 will preferably be of the same thickness as the ply 3, so that the character bearing faces of the members 7 will be flush with the face of the ply 3.

The sign further comprises front and back members indicated respectively by the numerals 8 and 9 and each in the form of a sheet of glass or other transparent material, these facing and backing sheets or panes being of oblong rectangular form and of the same or slightly greater marginal dimensions than the plies 2 and 3 which comprise the foundation member 1. The sheets or panes S and 9 serve to protect the foundation memher 1 as well as the sign character bearing members 7 and are preferably held in position assembled with the said foundation member through the medium of resilient clips 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, although any other means may be provided for this purpose and extend for a part or the entire length of each margin of the assemblage, it being only necessary, for the purposes of the invention, that the holding means be separable from the sheets or panes 8 and 9.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be evident that the sign character bearing members 7 may be readily and quickly disposed within the openings 5 in the ply 8 of the foundation member 1 and it will further be understood that the sign may be made in various sizes so as to comprehend any desired number of the sign character bearing members and it will furthermore be evident that the openings which are to receive these members of the sign may be of various sizes and shapes and arranged in various manners.

It will also be evident from the foregoing that if the sign character bearing members 7 are of transparent or translucent material and the characters borne thereby are opaque, or the reverse is true, the sign may be em ployed with great advantage in the hours of darkness, by arranging the same in front of a source of illumination.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In a sign of the character described, a foundation comprising a flat body consisting of facially united plies, said plies being formed with registering openings of corresponding marginal contour, the openings in one of the plies being of smaller dimensions than the openings in the other ply to provide supporting portions projecting within the bounds of the openings of said other ply, sign character bearing members equal in thickness to said other ply and removably arranged within the openings of said other ply and resting marginally against said supporting portions, a transparent removable sheet disposed against said other ply and the transparent bearing members to hold the latter in place, a transparent removable sheet disposed against the ply having the smaller opcnings, and means-for clamping the first and second mentioned transparent removable sheets in position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWIN B. ROLL. 

